1. Maxim Staviski is a Russian-born naturalized Bulgarian ice dancer.
16 Facts About Maxim Staviski
1. 2.
Denkova and Staviski are the first Bulgarians to medal at the World Figure Skating Championships.
3.
Maxim Staviski began skating at the age of four because his parents wanted to improve his health.
4.
Maxim Staviski was initially a singles skater but at the age of 11 or 12, he broke his leg and his jumping ability declined.
5.
Maxim Staviski's coach recommended him to Natalia Dubova's ice dancing group.
6.
Maxim Staviski originally competed for Russia with Anastasia Belova, with whom he appeared as the third Russian team at the 1996 Junior Worlds but they split up at the end of the season.
7.
In 1996, Maxim Staviski had a successful tryout with Albena Denkova in Moscow and he moved to Sofia to compete for Bulgaria.
8.
Maxim Staviski received Bulgarian citizenship, allowing him to compete with Denkova at the 1998 Olympics.
9.
Maxim Staviski eventually returned to training but suffered swelling in her leg.
10.
On 18 October 2007, after being put on trial for a drunk driving case which left one person dead and his wife in coma, Maxim Staviski announced he would end his competitive career.
11.
On 5 August 2007, Maxim Staviski caused a car accident in Primorsko, Bulgaria, which killed 24-year-old Petar Petrov and left Petrov's fiancee, 18-year-old Manuela Gorsova, in a coma.
12.
Maxim Staviski had been pulled over and issued a police warning a few minutes earlier.
13.
On 30 January 2008, Maxim Staviski received a suspended sentence of two years and six months, with a five-year probation period, after pleading guilty on all counts.
14.
Maxim Staviski could have gone to prison for up to ten years.
15.
In early January 2009, the Burgas Appellate Court reversed the suspension of his sentence and ordered Maxim Staviski to serve two-and-a-half years in prison.
16.
In May 2009, the Supreme Court of Cassation issued a final ruling in the case, which overturned the jail sentence and reduced the fines Maxim Staviski was to pay to 100,000 leva to the Petrovs and 90,000 to Gorsova's family.